The Kenya Sugar Board (KSB) has acted to calm mounting labour unrest, promising prompt payment of arrears to sugarcane workers after the Kenya Union of Sugarcane Plantation and Allied Workers (KUSPAW) threatened a nationwide strike over unpaid remuneration.

In a press briefing on Friday, December 19, 2025, KSB Chief Executive Officer Jude Chesire said the government was making concerted efforts to ensure workers receive some payments before the Christmas and New Year holidays, even as negotiations over accumulated arrears continue.

“We are doing our best to make sure something lands on their table,” Chesire said, appealing to workers and their representatives to exercise patience as authorities work through the complex settlement of outstanding dues.

The reassurance comes against the backdrop of a hardline stance taken by KUSPAW, which has warned that workers at Muhoroni, Chemelil, Nzoia and Sony sugar companies will down their tools unless the government settles arrears estimated at Ksh1.9 billion or issues a clear, time-bound payment commitment.

KUSPAW General Secretary Francis Wangara has accused the government of reneging on earlier assurances that the dues would be cleared by November and before the Christmas break. He said the arrears affect workers declared redundant following the leasing of the mills to private operators, as well as employees absorbed by the new investors but still owed part of their benefits.

Empty talks?

According to the union, repeated engagements with the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Treasury and transition committees have failed to yield concrete action, prompting the strike notice. KUSPAW has insisted that the responsibility for settling legacy labour liabilities rests with the State, even as operations at the mills are now under private management.

Chesire, however, maintained that the government remains fully committed to the ongoing reform programme in the sugar industry, which aims to stabilise operations, improve efficiency and ensure equitable benefits for all stakeholders.

He said the reforms are designed to address long-standing structural weaknesses, including delayed payments to workers and farmers.

“We are working on a wide range of reforms that will ensure all industry stakeholders benefit, including farmers,” Chesire said.

The leasing of state-owned sugar mills to private operators was intended to revive production while allowing the State to clear historical debts such as salary arrears and terminal benefits. However, delays in settling these obligations have fuelled labour unrest and raised concerns about the pace and coordination of the reform process.

He warned that prolonged worker discontent poses a significant risk to the reform agenda, noting that labour stability is critical to sustaining sugar production and maintaining investor confidence. Any disruption at the mills could have knock-on effects on cane supply chains, farmer incomes and downstream processing.

While acknowledging workers’ frustrations, Chesire said the reform process requires time to deliver tangible results. “It is just a matter of time before the reforms begin to bear fruit,” he said.

Although the government’s assurance may ease immediate tensions as the festive season approaches, KUSPAW has cautioned that patience among workers is wearing thin. The union says outstanding salary arrears and retirement benefits across the sector run into several billions of shillings, underscoring the urgency of a lasting settlement.